The Cage

The fourth studio album, issued by MCA Records in 1982 as MCF 3150. At number 13 for eight weeks it is the band's highest-charting record, and it is also the one that ended them. It was made at Marquee Studios in London with Peter Collins producing — his first rock record, years before he worked with Rush. John Sykes plays on only two tracks, "Love Potion No. 9" and "Danger in Paradise"; the first was the band's first session with Collins, cut while Sykes was still a member. "Danger in Paradise" was written by John Parr. Jon Deverill on the direction: "our record company totally interfered and pushed songs on us. That 'hit single' thing that was so prevalent in the 80's rock scene. Everyone suddenly had to be Bon Jovi!" Commercially it worked, and it took the band to Japan for the first time — five shows in four-thousand-capacity halls, all sold out, by Robb Weir's account. Then the same success finished them. Rocky Laws: "in the success of our fourth album The Cage lay the seed of the band's demise. MCA records wanted to do more covers and more rocked up versions of soul classics and we didn't want to do it." A fifth album was demoed on a four-track and never released.